How’s George?

Thank you for asking about me.

I wasn’t around when Darcy crossed over the bridge. Because as soon as Mum saw that Darcy’s condition was worsening and she could no longer walk, Mum sent me along to a weekend at Goodwood. This allowed Mum to fully concentrate on Darcy’s needs.

When Mum brought me home on Monday I was as usual excitedly sniffing the front door, expecting to see Darcy come charging at me as soon as the door opened, barking in annoyance that I was still around. But this time when the door opened, there was no Darcy in sight. She was nowhere to be found. It was all very quiet and I could smell that there was something different but I didn’t know what it was.

I went to lay in my bed thinking maybe Darcy will be coming home soon.

May’s comment: George has always had issues – emotionally and physically. We’ve been through sleepless nights of his getting sick for two months. He also has aggression issues with motorbikes, big trucks and dogs who sniffed him too much. And anxiety when riding in cars. So I wondered how this would affect him further.

On the Monday when I brought George home after Darcy had left us, he ran to the door excitedly with his tail up high and as usual, sniffing the edge of the side of the door that opens into the hallway. He ran in, expecting the grumpy sister to bark at him and then run off to protect her Teddy from him. They never seem to tire of this rather unwelcoming greeting from Darcy. George never cared what Darcy said because he knew deep down, she loved him.

I watched for any changes in himself. Did he seem quieter? But he had always been a perfect house dog. He hardly ever barked (barking at the postman days are long over) except for getting excited when going out. He greets visitors happily. He ate as he always has. And he sleeps at the foot of the bed or snuggle up behind the back of my knees. The only thing that was different was him avoiding sitting on the chair that had always been Darcy’s, though in the past, they would take turns sitting there. Even when I lifted him onto the chair, he jumped off it immediately.

Many of you had asked how he was. I wasn’t sure if I was reading his signs correctly and all I could do was give him lots of cuddles. I wanted to know if George was in any way grieving for Darcy.

I had recently heard about Applied Zoopharmacognosy which enables self-medicative behaviour in domesticated and captive animals by offering plant extracts that would contain the same, or similar constituents to those found in an animal’s evolutionary history.

That’s when we went along to meet Lilo Ask-Henriksen, a Holistic vet nurse who practises at the LMH Townhouse.

During the session, I related to Lilo about George’s background – having started life as a street dog. He had to survive in the streets, search for food and build barriers. For all that, we needed to gently ease him into working with us.

Sasha had come along to watch – and to help out.

Slowly George reacted to the oils. When he was introduced to Neroli, he circled the room a few times and eventually laid down to rest.

We tried different oils, but each time when Neroli was used, he would lay down to rest. One time he whimpered and he came to me. As I stroked his neck, he tilted his head in a way that he had never done before. It seemed he was seeking support and comfort from me.

Neroli: Neroli has a powerful psychological effect, invoking feelings of emotional security. It is predominantly offered when there is sadness due to the loss or separation from a companion, human or non-human. Its antispasmodic action calms digestion, which makes it a useful oil for gastrointestinal disturbances, that are related to sadness. Offer to animals who express themselves with a whimper or cry. 

Over the last few days, he had started to sit on Darcy’s chair again – only briefly.

Lilo’s comment: Considering how blocked off he was in the beginning, I think he worked great with the oils and allowed gentle emotional release as we saw when he laid down and also when he was crying while he was offered Neroli, as well as how he was seeking your support and comfort. As with any emotional work and release, its layered and sometimes need more time to heal.

The other oils George chose were:

Violet leaf: Offer to animals anticipating pain or a fearful event such as fireworks, grooming clippers, vets, travelling or a change of home. Violet leaf offers reassurance and gives confidence to help animals cope. It is almost always selected by animals that are ‘on edge,’ and by horses that ‘spook’ easily. Violet leaf as a good oil to always have on hand if you have a nervous animal. If you’re working with oils that connect to emotions, loss of a companion (neroli), or a past trauma (rose), then violet leaf is usually needed to offer reassurance to the feelings that often surface from the memory.

Orange (sweet): Digestive problems related to loss and sadness, gentle antimicrobial. Uplifting, offers feelings of joy. 

Bergamot: Balancing body and mind. Anxiety related disorders, mood swings and depression.

Rose otto: Rose is everything to do with mothering and nurturing as well as supporting the emotions of the liver; anger and resentment. 

German Chamomile: Anti-inflammatory (soft tissue)/pain relieving and antihistamine. Offer to animals when anxiety (calming properties) has caused the manifestation of physical conditions, such as stomach ulcers, stress related colic, colitis, dermatitis, laminitis, vasculitis and other conditions ending in ‘itis,

Fennel: Digestive stimulant, allergy related breathing problems, antispasmodic for impacted or spasmodic colic, or bloat. Digestive stimulant: an adaptogen that suppresses or encourages appetite. Antispasmodic to gastric intestinal smooth muscle: offer for impacted or spasmodic colic and bloat.

The oils are from www.carolineingramham.com